Studs and Duds: Lions' Defense Falls Apart

On Sunday, the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams squared off. Both teams were looking to close in on the NFL postseason. 

Detroit was on the outside looking in, while the Rams were looking to maintain their divisional lead in the NFC West.

In a battle where Kelvin Sheppard’s defense struggled mightily, the Lions lost, 41-34. Here are those who shined and those who faltered with the pressure turned up.

STUD: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown, only a few weeks removed from an ankle sprain, is back and better than ever. After grinding out a 92-yard performance against Dallas last week, he had the best half of his career on Sunday.

The Lions’ star had 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first half alone. St. Brown was involved from the beginning, and was able to get the first points of the game one play after an Aidan Hutchinson interception flipped the momentum.

St. Brown also added a critical fourth-down catch, where Dan Campbell went for it on his own 29-yard line. That risky play led to another Lions touchdown that helped extend the lead heading towards halftime.

While he was held in check for the most part in the second half, St. Brown still recorded multiple catches. Overall, he finished with 163 yards and two touchdowns, along with drawing a pass interference in the end zone to set up Detroit’s final touchdown in the loss.

STUD: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson

Hutchinson was a player that many were expecting to take a step forward with the Lions’ playoff push in mind, and he proved Sunday he was capable of taking the step. 

On the first drive of the day, the Lions were being battered, bending time and time again. Right as the Rams and Matthew Stafford got into the red zone, Hutchinson stepped up.

This was not the traditional Hutchinson momentum swing, either. Instead, Hutchinson intercepted a pass on a tight end screen and returned it nearly 60 yards to set up a Lions touchdown on the next play, opening the scoring in the Week 15 affair.

Hutchinson would later get back in the sack column, too, combining with Alex Anzalone to take Stafford down on a third down and force the first punt of the game.

While Hutchinson did not record a sack in the second half, he was the player who caused the most disruption in the backfield as the Rams accelerated away. 

DUD: CB D.J. Reed

In a half where the Rams put up over 200 yards and 17 points, there were not many stars from the Lions’ defense. Reed was a player that got picked on, allowing multiple catches in the first half alone.

While Reed was in good position for a pass break-up in the first half, he still could not break the ball free. Then, extremely late in the first half, Reed fell down in coverage against Puka Nacua. That drive led to a field goal to bring the Rams within seven at the break.

DUD: DB Rock Ya-Sin

Ya-Sin is part of the heralded “legion of whom,” but Sunday was not a banner day for the Lions’ defensive backs. Ya-Sin was one of the multiple defensive backs picked apart by Stafford, allowing Nacua to hit a career-high in receiving yards.

Ya-Sin was also picked on in the run game, with Blake Corum having a cutback run to gash the Lions’ defense when Detroit had gotten within seven points. Ya-Sin had overcommitted on the run, and was juked out by the former Michigan back. That drive led to a touchdown that effectively ended the game.

DUD: CB Amik Robertson

The third defensive back to fall into the “dud” category. This was a day to forget for the Lions’ defense. Robertson was picked on by Nacua, Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell and Colby Parkinson.

Despite a pair of pass break-ups, Robertson firmly falls into the dud category after allowing a pair of Stafford passing touchdowns. Whether the Louisiana Tech product was lined up on the left boundary, the right boundary, or at nickel corner, he got picked on Sunday afternoon.

DUD: IOL Trystan Colon

For the second straight week, Colon got the nod as starting left guard with Kayode Awosika out. Yet again, it was not a great performance for the former Arizona Cardinals lineman. Colon was bullied, falling flat in the second half.

Colon was bullied for a sack, and then was pushed back on an ill-advised running back draw on third down in the fourth quarter. It resulted in a Lions field goal instead of a potential touchdown drive. 

Colon, however, was also involved on Detroit’s final touchdown of the game, executing a pull block that led to a David Montgomery touchdown.

STUD: WR Jameson Williams

Williams paired excellently with St. Brown on Sunday, with both receivers frustrating the Rams’ corners. Williams had seven catches for 135 yards and a touchdown to pair with St. Brown’s 163-yard performance.

Williams was in the right spot for the Lions at multiple points, helping break a few Rams Cover 4 concepts and finding multiple soft spots in coverage. Williams also helped keep the Lions in the game, with multiple catches on the final Lions touchdown drive. 

He was able to add nine yards to his receiving total on a lateral from St. Brown at the end of the game, but could not slide down fast enough for one last play for Detroit.

Since Dan Campbell took over the play-calling duties, Williams has been a more active and productive member of the team’s offense.